Vice Admiral William L. Read :::
Vice Admiral William L. Read
Graduated in 1943
Inducted in 1993
A 1943 graduate, Vice Admiral Read received his Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1949. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College and the Industrial College of Armed Forces. He holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University. Vice Admiral Read was in the U.S. Navy from 1944-79. His navy career consisted of commanding six different fleets, serving as the military assistant to the Secretary of Defense, executive assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, director of officer promotion and assignment and director of Ship Acquisition Division. His major deployments included three to Vietnam, eight to the Mediterranean, one to the South America, two to North Europe and one to Africa. Vice Admiral Read received the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V; and the Navy Distinguished Service Order, Republic of Vietnam. Since his navy career, Vice Admiral Read has been the vice president of Lone Star Industries from 1979-84, on the Board of Directors of the Bairnco Corporation from 1980-83, the Board of Directors of the Preston Corporation from 1984-93 and has been on the Board of Directors of the Olin Corporation since 1985. Vice Admiral Read is active in church and community organizations. He has been the executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, director of the Easton Memorial Hospital and volunteers for the United Fund.